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| Courtesy of Mario Tama/Getty Images The Daily Beast (not from Wilmington rally) |
Hundreds gathered in Rodney Square (Wilmington, Delaware) on March 27th to remember Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black teen murdered in Sanford, Florida by 28-year-old neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman. Martin, murdered on February 26th, was unarmed at the time of his death (was carrying only a Arizona Iced Tea and a bag of Skittles). Zimmerman has yet to be arrested or convicted of murder.
Wilmington’s rally, organized by Pastor Derrick Johnson and Fred Green, united citizens in the name of justice and non-violent action. Coated in Christian prose and praise, rally speakers called for Wilmington residents to demand justice for Martin, pray for his family and stand for social causes such as voter registration. Johnson, known for his work with inner city youth and local inmates, intertwined his speech about Martin with informational tidbits about reducing crime in Wilmington and aiding released inmates with reentry into society.
While the rally neglected to leave attendees with any tangible social issue to address (what was the specific, tangible and achievable task attendees were to complete upon leaving the rally? Registering to vote?), it succeeded in bringing together the African American community to recognize America's faulty legal system and the unjust murder of Trayvon Martin.
I will continue to follow this story as it develops…
Mz. Jonezy
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